The standouts on the first CD (the goth/darkwave/ethereal part) include Mors Syphilitica's operatic goth on "Ungrateful Girl", Cruxshadows' infectious dance floor groove "Marilyn, My Bitterness V2.0", Immortalis Amor's ethereal techno of "Invocation", and Klang Abstrakt's soundtrack intrumental "Memories".

The second CD's (the EBM/industrial part) highlights are TNV's catchy industrial offering "Televisual", Hocico's ominous, FLA-like "Banished", Pulcher Femina's driving EBM on "Scream", Angels and Agony's goth dance on "One", and Cruciform Injection's beat candy "Embryonic Testaments". Much of this disc would could be played on your local club's industrial night.

With an overall movement more into electronic territory, this installment is better suited to the more beat-friendly rather than those looking for more of the slower ethereal/darkwave variety. But once again, a great way to explore the (presently) unknowns of the genre.


Another good deal with a broader range of styles   February 2, 2002
For this second "Grave," they build on the success of the first one by keeping the same crazy-[low] price and switching the lineup. Some tracks, like The Cruxshadows' "Marilyn, My Bitterness V2.0" straddle goth, techno and 80s new wave all at once.

The Moors' slavic chant "Dve Nevesti" is ominously catchy. Mors Syphilitica's opera-goth ("Ungrateful Girl") is as amazing as ever. Necromantik Sunshine's "Necromantic Sunshine" (hmmm, their first song?) has a seedy, dancefloor Christian Death
appeal. The next few songs are more forgettable, more electronic. Uva Ursi does Gitane Demone & Eva O proud with the strange "Waltz of Maldoror." Doppelganger's "Mad Sky" sounds like a grrrl band doing the soundtrack for the 70s cartoon "The Groovie Ghoulies." If you've seen "Blazing Saddles," you know EXACTLY what I mean by this: Flesh for Eve's "The Witch" sounds like Madeline Kahn's "I'm So Tired."

The vocals are buried on several tracks - usually meaning there wasn't much time or money to record the songs. Perfectly understandable for bands just starting out.

Disc 2 features more industrial and EBM than the first. A lot of the songs ("Televisual," "Listen," "Fallen Angel,") remind me of stuff we heard in the mid-to-late 80s when electronic music was starting to bleed away from Kraftwerk and Joy Division. Other tracks fit the Front Line Assembly/Front 242 mold, like Pulcher Femina's "Scream & Die." and Cydonia's "Ritual." The EBM songs indicate the enduring influence of disco. Unit 187's "Capital Punishment (MM6 Remix)" is a righteous shot of drum n' bass with speed metal guitar. X-axis closes the sampler strong with "Occident," a driving techno anthem with Human League-ish vocals.

I would've given it five stars, but I'm more into the overall goth/darkwave sound of the first collection. If you're more open-minded and dance-oriented, you will definitely dig this "Grave."